India issues 1,331 commercial pilot licences in Jan-June: Govt

New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) India issued 1,331 Commercial Pilot Licences (CPLs) during the first six months of 2026 (January-June), with more than four out of every 10 newly licensed pilots having received their training abroad, according to the government.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union MoS for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued licences to 791 cadets trained at Indian Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) and 540 cadets trained at foreign FTOs as of June 30.

This suggests around 41 per cent of the newly licensed commercial pilots underwent training overseas.

The figures come at a time when Indian airlines are expanding their fleets and networks, driving strong demand for pilots.

According to the minister, the DGCA issued 1,652 Commercial Pilot Licences in 2025, compared with 1,347 in 2024, 1,622 in 2023 and 1,165 in 2022, indicating sustained growth in pilot certification over the past few years.